Outdrive Servicing

[tonplus]

Hi All

 

As I missed my chance to get our boat lifted at our mooring for this year I need either a yard that can carry out a leg service or somewhere that will lift my boat so that I can service it.

Boat is moored near Acle can anyone recommend a decent yard that they would trust?

 

Thanks

Paul

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Ludham Bridge Boatyard - George on 01692 631011

Griff

[tonplus]

Thanks Griff

[Viking23]

Sutton Staithe boat yard, never had an out drive serviced, but I trusted them to do an impeller change on an outboard last season. Worth giving Rob a call.

I always liked the idea of an out drive, most can be lifted or tilted for shallow cruising or prop clearance, steer in reverse.. etc.

Down side, not easy to stern moor, but a stern step can be adapted to sort that.

NOW... My biggest concern, "when" the bellows leak, and it is when, no preventative maintenance plan can guarantee that you change the bellows or seals "just in time"  can it actually sink the boat? I guess not. 

I would be happier if there was a high bulk head that could not be compromised even if the bellows tore. but I would not be that happy if the engine and drive shaft were half flooded in river water that might be brackish, especially near Acle.

So I wonder how is the water integrity maintained, you would need more than an occasional bilge pump to stem a leak like that.

Just interested, I like learning about different technologies.

Richard

[Limbury1]

When a bellows goes the water leaks into the bell housing and drips into the bilge ,but it is spun around the bell housing and ruins the starter motor and other related parts a bellows splits through lack of maintainance or lifting legs to high with engine in gear. Expensive !

[Viking23]

4 hours ago, Limbury1 said:

When a bellows goes the water leaks into the bell housing and drips into the bilge ,but it is spun around the bell housing and ruins the starter motor and other related parts a bellows splits through lack of maintainance or lifting legs to high with engine in gear. Expensive !

Wow... thanks for the input, needs some tlc then.

[NeilB]

As long as the bellows are fitted correctly and replaced regularly as per the manufacturers instructions there should be no issues.  There are probably lots out there that have not been replaced for a very long time and could well leak.

[JawsOrca]

Erm it does depend on what type of leg it is?! Not all legs are close coupled... our little sillette for example has two seals so if the bellows split it no sinks which is good.. However it is certainly a good idea to get them checked at service intervals.. Boulter marine have a cradle which makes lifts cheap and promise us to be able to service our leg whilst we wait/drink in the pub.. Worth a try...

[Viking23]

Wow this is certainly worth leaving to the professionals, I think going to the pub and finding it complete when you get back, sounds a great idea to me.  

[NeilB]

Anything involving a pub is with a try!!

[tonplus]

I think a full maintenance on a leg would take longer than a pub visit....you wouldn't be able to walk afterwards!

Yearly checkup of the leg oil, or oil drain and change yes but with our boat when I dropped the oil out of the engine it was like treacle so me thinks a full strip down of the leg is needed this time. We only bought her end of last year.

will be building a rudder to clamp onto the drive, just got to work out what the leg is!

Any ideas what a Fairline Holiday Mk1 had fitted anyone?

Paul

 

 

[ChrisB]

40 minutes ago, tonplus said:

 

 

40 minutes ago, tonplus said:

Any ideas what a Fairline Holiday Mk1 had fitted anyone?

Paul

 

 

I think they were mostly Volvo but Fairline were known to chop and change if a deal was offered.

I have owned an outdrive ( Mercruiser ) and a saildrive (Yanmar) both keep the salty stuff out using a diaphram or bellows and can only offer one piece of advice. Never skimp on maintenance because when they go wrong it is eye wateringly expensive. Actually I have owned 2 saildrives the other was produced by Seagull and was fitted to later Corribees. I am pretty sure that the fitting of that engine more than hastened the demise of Newbridge Boats and with it the Corribee, the finest pocket cruiser after the Folkboat imho.

[tonplus]

Thanks Chris, made the rudder yesterday but will have to wait to fit it until the boat is lifted probably now in June.

So will be zig zagging until then!

[C.Ricko]

We do outdrives at Horning and Stalham Moonfleet.. 

if you combine the service with a antifoul it will be saving the cost of a lift.. 

[tonplus]

Will only need a Leg full service at the moment, but will give Horning a call today.  Thanks.

[C.Ricko]

we have a twin outdrive boat out at present, 

We also had phone issues and a couple of the messages were inaudible  so if you did phone and leave one I can't hear it!

Cheers, Clive

[tonplus]

Thanks Clive, spoke to Phil at Horning yesterday. 

[C.Ricko]

oh thats ok, 

Phil is at Stalham, 

I am at Horning with Jason. 

Cheers, Clive

[tonplus]

Clive

Could have sworn I phoned Horning!  Will phone tomorrow

Paul

[tonplus]

On ‎27‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 7:49 PM, C.Ricko said:

oh thats ok, 

Phil is at Stalham, 

I am at Horning with Jason. 

Cheers, Clive

Spoke to Jason, have booked in for May 22nd. Want to fit a leg rudder while it's out of the water. Can you do this for me?"Adda Rudder"

James hadn't heard of them.

 

 

Thanks

Paul

[C.Ricko]

yes we can fit one of them, 

just got to find the right one for you. 

Cheers, Clive..